Monday, May 28, 2007

On behalf of President George W. Bush and the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islanders, congratulations on your successful event in support of the Community Hepatitis-B Education Awareness Trust Fund.

Through the leadership of Commander Bok Pon and the American Legion Cathay Post #384, there will be a greater awareness of the serious nature of Hepatitis-B and how it plagues our community. Startling statistics show Hepatitis-B affects 20% of the Asian community – something must be done. Awareness and testing are integral initatives which must occur in order to defeat this plague.

Through your support and activities for the Community Hepatitis-B Education Awareness Trust Fund, steps will now be taken to address this most important issue.

BE IT KNOWN That the Commission on the Status of Women of the City and County of

San Francisco hereby issues and authorizes the execution, by the subscribing Commissioners,

of the following resolution:

WHEREAS, In order to address the fact that San Francisco has the highest liver cancer rate in the nation, Mayor Gavin Newsom, Assemblywomen Fiona Ma, and Supervisor Ed Jew, together with over 50 healthcare and Asian Pacific Islander organizations, have launched a

2-year campaign to rid San Francisco of Hepatitis B by screening, vaccinating, and treating all cases of this highly infectious but preventable disease responsible for 80% of all liver cancer among Asians and Pacific Islanders; and,

WHEREAS, The San Francisco Department of Public Health, the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University, and the AsianWeek Foundation have joined forces to implement this campaign, the largest health campaign targeting Asian Pacific Islanders in the nation; and,

WHEREAS, Assemblywomen Fiona Ma, a carrier of the virus, has further introduced Assembly Bill 158 for Hepatitis Prevention to require the California Department of Public Health to establish pilot programs in Los Angeles and San Francisco to provide culturally competent public education on the prevention and management of Hepatitis B; and,

WHEREAS, May marks Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month to celebrate the achievements of Asian and Pacific Islanders who constitute 34% of the population in San Francisco and are estimated to be infected by Hepatitis B at a rate of 1 in 10;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED That the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Womenendorses the San Francisco Hepatitis B Free Campaign and its goal to rid our city of this preventable disease and commends the work of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University, and the Asian Week Foundation for their collaborative efforts on this vital issue.

San Francisco, CA (May 21, 2007) - Yul Kwon, winner of CBS’s Survivor: Cook Islands(and new CNN correspondent) along with the Cho Brothers of CBS’s Amazing Race 10, Miss San Jose 2007 Nicole Fox, San Francisco Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting, and members of the media were tested and vaccinated for hepatitis B during the Asian Heritage Street Celebration (AHSC) in San Francisco’s SOMA district at 1025 Howard Street on Saturday, May 19th, 2007. The Asian Liver Center at Stanford University provided free hepatitis B screenings and vaccinations were available for $20 per shot.

These screenings and vaccinations are a major step for San Francisco Hep B Free, a two-year-long campaign for the city to become the first in the nation to screen, vaccinate, and treat all Asian Pacific American (APA) residents for Hepatitis B (HBV). A major collaborative effort of city government, private healthcare, and more than 50 health and APA community organizations, San Francisco Hep B Free was launched on April 25, 2007 with a press conference and community dinner featuring Mayor Gavin Newson; Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting; Supervisor Ed Jew; Dr. Mitch Katz, Director, SF Department of Public Health; Dr. Samuel So, Director of Asian Liver Center at Stanford University; and Ted Fang, Director of AsianWeek Foundation. For more information, visit www.sfhepbfree.org.

"SF Hep B Free is an extraordinary campaign with a message for all APAs,” said Erwin Cho, Amazing Race 10. “Simply by getting the word out about how widespread hepatitis B is, and then encouraging people to get tested and vaccinated, we will be one step closer to eliminating this disease."

"Awareness of the hepatitis B campaign is critical to the health and well-being of all Asians,” said Yul Kwon, Survivor: Cook Islands. “I am proud to be involved in this very important issue in the APA community."

San Francisco’s APA residents comprise of 34% of the city’s population and bear a disproportionate burden of many undetected HBV infections and the highest liver cancer rate in the nation. While about 1 in 1,000 of the general US population has chronic HBV infection, 1 in 10 people in the API community are potentially living with an undiagnosed infection. APIs are 100 times more likely to suffer from chronic HBV infection and four times more likely to die from liver cancer compared with the general population.

“There are an estimated 25,000 APAs living in the city of San Francisco with chronic hepatitis B, and an additional 100,000 who are unprotected,” said Dr. Samuel So, Director, Asian Liver Center at Stanford University. “There’s a real need for increased hepatitis B testing and vaccination in the APA community. More than half of the deaths from hepatitis B are from our community, yet the seriousness of this disease is under-appreciated, under-diagnosed, and under-treated. We are grateful for everyone’s support in promoting awareness and prevention of this silent epidemic.”

San Francisco, CA (May 17, 2007)- Yul Kwon, winner of CBS's Survivor: Cook Islands (and new CNN correspondent) along with the Cho Brothers of CBS's Amazing Race 10 will be screened for hepatitis B during the Asian Heritage Street Celebration (AHSC) in San Francisco's SOMA district at 1025 Howard Street on Saturday, May 19th, 2007. The Asian Liver Center at Stanford University will provide free hepatitis B screenings and vaccinations will be available at $20 per shot while supplies last.

These screenings and vaccinations are a major step for San Francisco Hep B Free, a two-year-long campaign for the city to become the first in the nation to screen, vaccinate, and treat all Asian Pacific American (APA) residents for Hepatitis B (HBV).

San Francisco's APA residents comprise of 34% of the city's population and bear a disproportionate burden of many undetected HBV infections and the highest liver cancer rate in the nation. While about 1 in 1,000 of the general US population has chronic HBV infection, 1 in 10 people in the API community are potentially living with an undiagnosed infection. APIs are 100 times more likely to suffer from chronic HBV infection and four times more likely to die from liver cancer compared with the general population.

"There are an estimated 25,000 APAs living in the city of San Francisco with chronic hepatitis B, and an additional 100,000 who are unprotected," said Dr. Samuel So, Director, Asian Liver Center at Stanford University. "There's a real need for increased hepatitis B testing and vaccination in the APA community. More than half of the deaths from hepatitis B are from our community, yet the seriousness of this disease is under-appreciated, under-diagnosed, and under-treated. We are grateful for everyone's support in promoting awareness and prevention of this silent epidemic."

"Many people are unaware that they may be infected with the disease and that is why this campaign is so important," said Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, Honorary Chairperson, SF Hep B Free Steering Committee. "Getting tested and vaccinated and/or receiving treatment will save lives and help make San Francisco hep B free."

1025 Howard Street, from 11 am to 4 pmSOMA District of San Francisco, CA

Monday, May 14, 2007

Free Hepatitis B Screenings will be provided by the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University during the Asian Heritage Street Celebration on Saturday, May 19th, 20071025 Howard Street, from 11 am to 4pm, SOMA District of San Francisco, CA

San Francisco, CA (May 14, 2007)— Yul Kwon, winner of CBS's Survivor: Cook Islands(and new CNN correspondent)along with the Cho Brothers of CBS’s Amazing Race 10 will be screened for hepatitis B during the Asian Heritage Street Celebration (AHSC) in San Francisco’s SOMA district at 1025 Howard Street on Saturday, May 19th, 2007. The Asian Liver Center at Stanford University will provide free hepatitis B screenings and vaccinations will be available at $20 per shot while supplies last

These screenings and vaccinations are a major step for San Francisco Hep B Free, a two-year-long campaign for the city to become the first in the nation to screen, vaccinate, and treat all Asian Pacific American (APA) residents for Hepatitis B (HBV). A major collaborative effort of city government, private healthcare, and more than 50 health and APA community organizations, San Francisco Hep B Free was launched on April 25, 2007 with a press conference and community dinner featuring Mayor Gavin Newson; Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting; Supervisor Ed Jew; Dr. Mitch Katz, Director, SF Department of Public Health; Dr. Samuel So, Director of Asian Liver Center at Stanford University; and Ted Fang, Director of AsianWeek Foundation.

“I’m proud that San Francisco is launching this very important initiative,” said Mayor Gavin Newsom. “Hepatitis B adversely affects the APA population, but a vaccine exists that safely and effectively prevents infection. I urge everyone to join us this weekend at the Asian Heritage Street Celebration by enjoying the festivities and being screened for hepatitis B.”

San Francisco’s APA residents comprise of 34% of the city’s population and bear a disproportionate burden of many undetected HBV infections and the highest liver cancer rate in the nation. While about 1 in 1,000 of the general US population has chronic HBV infection, 1 in 10 people in the API community are potentially living with an undiagnosed infection. APIs are 100 times more likely to suffer from chronic HBV infection and four times more likely to die from liver cancer compared with the general population.

“There are an estimated 25,000 APAs living in the city of San Francisco with chronic hepatitis B, and an additional 100,000 who are unprotected,” said Dr. Samuel So, Director, Asian Liver Center at Stanford University. “There’s a real need for increased hepatitis B testing and vaccination in the APA community. More than half of the deaths from hepatitis B are from our community, yet the seriousness of this disease is under-appreciated, under-diagnosed, and under-treated. We are grateful for everyone’s support in promoting awareness and prevention of this silent epidemic.”

In November 2006, Mayor Newsom signed a resolution authored by then Supervisor Fiona Ma establishing the goal of universal HBV screening and vaccination for APA residents. The SF Hep B Steering Committee was then formed, comprised of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, Asian Liver Center at Stanford University, and AsianWeek Foundation.

“Many people are unaware that they may be infected with the disease and that is why this campaign is so important,” said Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, Honorary Chairperson, SF Hep B Free Steering Committee. “Getting tested and vaccinated and/or receiving treatment will save lives and help make San Francisco hep B free.”“This is one of the largest and most important mobilization efforts of its kind for the APA community,” said Yul Kwon, winner of CBS’ Survivor: Cook Islands. “I am inspired by the campaign and proud to be involved in the elimination of hepatitis B.”During last year’s Asian Heritage Street Celebration, the response to the Asian Liver Center’s screening was enormous with more than 530 people tested. With the launch of this year’s SF Hep B Free campaign, the interest is expected to be even greater.

“SF Hep B Free is revolutionary in its perspective,” said Ted Fang, Director of AsianWeek Foundation. “This is one of the most ambitious campaigns for APAs. Simply by reaching out and bringing together all members of our community, we may be able to eliminate hepatitis B from San Francisco.”

Sunday, May 13, 2007

As an Asian-American politician, Chi Mui was part of an elite new group of leaders. He became San Gabriel's first Asian mayor in March 2006.

As an Asian, Mui belonged to a larger, more disturbing health care demographic. He died of liver cancer after about a month in the position, at 53.

Mui had hepatitis B, a disease that can be prevented and that is dubbed a "silent killer" that affects a disproportionate number of Asians. The virus puts them at greater risk of developing liver cancer and cirrhosis.

The HBV-related death rate among Asian Americans is seven times greater than the rate among American whites, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Race-specific attention to the virus consists so far of patchwork efforts by nonprofits, some of which piece together funding sources for workshops, screening fairs and vaccinations.

Health care workers say a more comprehensive approach is needed.

"Hepatitis B and liver cancer is the greatest health care disparity," said the center's director, Dr. Sammy So. "Almost every Asian knows of someone who died from liver cancer."

Chronic hepatitis B infection affects 0.3 percent of the U.S. population, but Asians make up more than half, or roughly 700,000, of the known hepatitis B carriers, according to the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University. Most contract the virus overseas, and many are unaware they have it.

Of the HBV-positive women who gave birth in Los Angeles County in 2005, 81 percent were Asian, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Nearly 50 percent were from the San Gabriel Valley.

While the virus can be spread through unprotected sex and shared needles, experts say most Asians become infected through their mothers during birth or in childhood.

A vaccine can actually knock down the disease after it is contracted if administered at young enough an age.

The Herald Cancer Association in San Gabriel relies on funding from foundations, medical centers and drug companies to sponsor outreach programs, which are held in Mandarin and English.

"Without the help of the government, we're just a nonprofit at the mercy of pharmaceuticals, whether they will give us the grant or not," said Rev. David Lee, director of the Christian-based association.

At a screening event in October, more than one out of 10 participants tested positive for the virus.

Follow-up is crucial for carriers, said Lee, who was diagnosed as a carrier in his late teens.

To compare Chi Mui and Lee, the difference early detection makes is life or death.

Like Mui, Lee, 47, said he realized he was infected when he first tried to donate blood as a young man. Based on the science back then, he was told not to worry about it. But Lee had half his liver removed at 34, after doctors discovered a tumor.

Mui was less fortunate. He was caught up with campaigning for City Council, said Mui's widow, Betty Mui. After two years without tests, doctors found an 8cm liver tumor. The cancer later spread to his pelvic bone.

"It developed so fast," said Betty Mui, who is now a key volunteer at Herald Cancer Association. She also contracted the virus at a young age and gets regular blood tests and ultrasound screenings. "People have to be very careful about it."

Hepatitis B can go undiagnosed. Carriers usually have no symptoms and appear healthy. It may not show up on tests for liver function, and doctors don't always think to order specific blood work to test for it, Lee said.

By the time patients notice the yellow eyes and swollen bellies associated with cirrhosis, or the vague upper abdominal pain that may indicate liver cancer, their problems are at an advanced stage. Treatment of liver disease is complicated and risky; transplants are hard to come by.

"We feel that in the Chinese community, knowledge is spreading," said Lucy Young, Herald's cancer projects director. "We receive quite a few phone calls about when we will do blood tests again, vaccinate again."

The programs are on hiatus while funding is sought. Three shots costing as much as $60 each are required for vaccination. The association also works with a hodgepodge of community groups in San Diego and Orange counties.

"We still have a lot of work to do, not only in San Gabriel Valley," Young said. "Those carriers, most of them are in the underserved population. Either they don't have insurance coverage or they don't know where to go for follow-up."

The hepatitis B vaccine was introduced in the early 1980s. Since the early '90s, it has been administered to most infants born in the United States. In California, vaccination is required for entry to kindergarten and the seventh grade, said Laurene Mascola, who heads Los Angeles County's Acute Communicable Disease Control Program.

The county's hepatitis B efforts center on vaccinating infants and tracking pregnant women who have HBV, and high-risk behavior groups such as jail populations and gay men.

"Eventually we'll burn out the disease as more and more people are vaccinated," Mascola said.

Nonetheless, some health care professionals are eagerly awaiting the outcome of a bill currently making its way through the state Assembly.

"This is something near and dear to my heart," said the bill's author, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco. She contracted the virus from her mother.

Without screening and management, one in four with the virus will die from liver cancer or cirrhosis, according to the Asian Liver Center.

San Francisco launched a campaign in April to test and vaccinate all its Asian residents for hepatitis B, a combined effort by the city government, private healthcare and community organizations.

AB 158 was passed in the Assembly Health Committee in April, the first of several hurdles it must clear before it can land on the governor's desk in the fall.

"It is a public health concern; it deserves funds from legislative avenues," said Jeff Goad, an associate professor of clinical pharmacy at USC and a member of a hepatitis B taskforce. "There is not a lot of action to fund treatment and management. The government ... allows the private system to handle treatment, but that doesn't always happen."

One of the organizations that stands to benefit from the bill is St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles. The hospital is opening a center in July that will deal specifically with hepatitis in Asians and could receive some of the $4 million the bill proposes.

"I don't think there is a recognition even among physicians of the magnitude of the problem among Asians," said Tse-Ling Fong, a liver specialist who will direct the Asian Pacific Liver Center.

Fong said the center will target Asians 18 and older, particularly those born overseas. In keeping with the hospital's charitable care policy, the center will accept both insured and uninsured patients.

"My hope is that three or four generations from now, hepatitis B will be something like smallpox that we no longer talk about," Fong said.

As an Asian-American politician, Chi Mui was part of an elite new group of leaders. He became San Gabriel's first Asian mayor in March 2006.

As an Asian, Mui belonged to a larger, more disturbing health care demographic. He died of liver cancer after about a month in the position, at 53.

Mui had hepatitis B, a disease that can be prevented and that is dubbed a "silent killer" that affects a disproportionate number of Asians. The virus puts them at greater risk of developing liver cancer and cirrhosis.

The HBV-related death rate among Asian Americans is seven times greater than the rate among American whites, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Race-specific attention to the virus consists so far of patchwork efforts by nonprofits, some of which piece together funding sources for workshops, screening fairs and vaccinations.
Health care workers say a more comprehensive approach is needed.

"Hepatitis B and liver cancer is the greatest health care disparity," said the center's director, Dr. Sammy So. "Almost every Asian knows of someone who died from liver cancer."

Chronic hepatitis B infection affects 0.3 percent of the U.S. population, but Asians make up more than half, or roughly 700,000, of the known hepatitis B carriers, according to the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University. Most contract the virus overseas, and many are unaware they have it.

Of the HBV-positive women who gave birth in Los Angeles County in 2005, 81 percent were Asian, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Nearly 50 percent were from the San Gabriel Valley.

While the virus can be spread through unprotected sex and shared needles, experts say most Asians become infected through their mothers during birth or in childhood.
A vaccine can actually knock down the disease after it is contracted if administered at young enough an age.

The Herald Cancer Association in San Gabriel relies on funding from foundations, medical centers and drug companies to sponsor outreach programs, which are held in Mandarin and English.

"Without the help of the government, we're just a nonprofit at the mercy of pharmaceuticals, whether they will give us the grant or not," said the Rev. David Lee, director of the Christian-based association.

At a screening event in October, more than one out of 10 participants tested positive for the virus.

Follow-up is crucial for carriers, said Lee, who was diagnosed as a carrier in his late teens.
To compare Chi Mui and Lee, the difference early detection makes is life or death.
Like Mui, Lee, 47, said he realized he was infected when he first tried to donate blood as a young man. Based on the science back then, he was told not to worry about it. But Lee had half his liver removed at 34, after doctors discovered a tumor.

Mui was less fortunate. He was caught up with campaigning for City Council, said Mui's widow, Betty Mui. After two years without tests, doctors found an 8cm liver tumor. The cancer later spread to his pelvic bone.

"It developed so fast," said Betty Mui, who is now a key volunteer at Herald Cancer Association. She also contracted the virus at a young age and gets regular blood tests and ultrasound screenings. "People have to be very careful about it."

Hepatitis B can go undiagnosed. Carriers usually have no symptoms and appear healthy. It may not show up on tests for liver function, and doctors don't always think to order specific blood work to test for it, Lee said.

By the time patients notice the yellow eyes and swollen bellies associated with cirrhosis, or the vague upper abdominal pain that may indicate liver cancer, their problems are at an advanced stage. Treatment of liver disease is complicated and risky; transplants are hard to come by.

"We feel that in the Chinese community, knowledge is spreading," said Lucy Young, Herald's cancer projects director. "We receive quite a few phone calls about when we will do blood tests again, vaccinate again."

The programs are on hiatus while funding is sought. Three shots costing as much as $60 each are required for vaccination. The association also works with community groups in San Diego and Orange counties.

"We still have a lot of work to do, not only in San Gabriel Valley," Young said. "Those carriers, most of them are in the underserved population. Either they don't have insurance coverage or they don't know where to go for follow-up."

The hepatitis B vaccine was introduced in the early 1980s. Since the early '90s, it has been administered to most infants born in the United States. In California, vaccination is required for entry to kindergarten and the seventh grade, said Laurene Mascola, who heads Los Angeles County's Acute Communicable Disease Control Program.

The county's hepatitis B efforts center on vaccinating infants and tracking pregnant women who have HBV, and high-risk behavior groups such as jail populations and gay men.

Nonetheless, some health care professionals are eagerly awaiting the outcome of a bill currently making its way through the state Assembly.

"This is something near and dear to my heart," said the bill's author, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco. She contracted the virus from her mother.

Without screening and management, one in four with the virus will die from liver cancer or cirrhosis, according to the Asian Liver Center.

San Francisco launched a campaign in April to test and vaccinate all its Asian residents for hepatitis B, a combined effort by the city government, private healthcare and community organizations.

AB 158 was passed in the Assembly Health Committee in April, the first of several hurdles it must clear before it can land on the governor's desk in the fall.

"It is a public health concern; it deserves funds from legislative avenues," said Jeff Goad, an associate professor of clinical pharmacy at USC and a member of a hepatitis B taskforce. "There is not a lot of action to fund treatment and management. The government ... allows the private system to handle treatment, but that doesn't always happen."

One of the organizations that stands to benefit from the bill is St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles. The hospital is opening a center in July that will deal specifically with hepatitis in Asians and could receive some of the $4 million the bill proposes.

"I don't think there is a recognition even among physicians of the magnitude of the problem among Asians," said Tse-Ling Fong, a liver specialist who will direct the Asian Pacific Liver Center.

Fong said the center will target Asians 18 and older, particularly those born overseas. In keeping with the hospital's charitable care policy, the center will accept both insured and uninsured patients.

"My hope is that three or four generations from now, hepatitis B will be something like smallpox that we no longer talk about," Fong said.

As an Asian-American politician, Chi Mui was part of an elite new group of leaders. He became San Gabriel's first Asian mayor in March 2006.

As an Asian, Mui belonged to a larger, more disturbing health care demographic. He died of liver cancer after about a month in the position, at 53.

Mui had hepatitis B, a disease that can be prevented and that is dubbed a "silent killer" that affects a disproportionate number of Asians. The virus puts them at greater risk of developing liver cancer and cirrhosis.

The HBV-related death rate among Asian Americans is seven times greater than the rate among American whites, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Race-specific attention to the virus consists so far of patchwork efforts by nonprofits, some of which piece together funding sources for workshops, screening fairs and vaccinations.

Health care workers say a more comprehensive approach is needed.

"Hepatitis B and liver cancer is the greatest health care disparity," said the center's director, Dr. Sammy So. "Almost every Asian knows of someone who died from liver cancer."

Chronic hepatitis B infection affects 0.3 percent of the U.S. population, but Asians make up more than half, or roughly 700,000, of the known hepatitis B carriers, according to the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University. Most contract the virus overseas, and many are unaware they have it.

Of the HBV-positive women who gave birth in Los Angeles County in 2005, 81 percent were Asian, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Nearly 50 percent were from the San Gabriel Valley.

While the virus can be spread through unprotected sex and shared needles, experts say most Asians become infected through their mothers during birth or in childhood.

A vaccine can actually knock down the disease after it is contracted if administered at young enough an age.

The Herald Cancer Association in San Gabriel relies on funding from foundations, medical centers and drug companies to sponsor outreach programs, which are held in Mandarin and English.

"Without the help of the government, we're just a nonprofit at the mercy of pharmaceuticals, whether they will give us the grant or not," said Rev. David Lee, director of the Christian-based association.

At a screening event in October, more than one out of 10 participants tested positive for the virus.

Follow-up is crucial for carriers, said Lee, who was diagnosed as a carrier in his late teens.

To compare Chi Mui and Lee, the difference early detection makes is life or death.

Like Mui, Lee, 47, said he realized he was infected when he first tried to donate blood as a young man. Based on the science back then, he was told not to worry about it. But Lee had half his liver removed at 34, after doctors discovered a tumor.

Mui was less fortunate. He was caught up with campaigning for City Council, said Mui's widow, Betty Mui. After two years without tests, doctors found an 8cm liver tumor. The cancer later spread to his pelvic bone.

"It developed so fast," said Betty Mui, who is now a key volunteer at Herald Cancer Association. She also contracted the virus at a young age and gets regular blood tests and ultrasound screenings. "People have to be very careful about it."

Hepatitis B can go undiagnosed. Carriers usually have no symptoms and appear healthy. It may not show up on tests for liver function, and doctors don't always think to order specific blood work to test for it, Lee said.

By the time patients notice the yellow eyes and swollen bellies associated with cirrhosis, or the vague upper abdominal pain that may indicate liver cancer, their problems are at an advanced stage. Treatment of liver disease is complicated and risky; transplants are hard to come by.

"We feel that in the Chinese community, knowledge is spreading," said Lucy Young, Herald's cancer projects director. "We receive quite a few phone calls about when we will do blood tests again, vaccinate again."

The programs are on hiatus while funding is sought. Three shots costing as much as $60 each are required for vaccination. The association also works with a hodgepodge of community groups in San Diego and Orange counties.

"We still have a lot of work to do, not only in San Gabriel Valley," Young said. "Those carriers, most of them are in the underserved population. Either they don't have insurance coverage or they don't know where to go for follow-up."

The hepatitis B vaccine was introduced in the early 1980s. Since the early '90s, it has been administered to most infants born in the United States. In California, vaccination is required for entry to kindergarten and the seventh grade, said Laurene Mascola, who heads Los Angeles County's Acute Communicable Disease Control Program.

The county's hepatitis B efforts center on vaccinating infants and tracking pregnant women who have HBV, and high-risk behavior groups such as jail populations and gay men.

"Eventually we'll burn out the disease as more and more people are vaccinated," Mascola said.

Nonetheless, some health care professionals are eagerly awaiting the outcome of a bill currently making its way through the state Assembly.

"This is something near and dear to my heart," said the bill's author, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, D-San Francisco. She contracted the virus from her mother.

Without screening and management, one in four with the virus will die from liver cancer or cirrhosis, according to the Asian Liver Center.

San Francisco launched a campaign in April to test and vaccinate all its Asian residents for hepatitis B, a combined effort by the city government, private healthcare and community organizations.

AB 158 was passed in the Assembly Health Committee in April, the first of several hurdles it must clear before it can land on the governor's desk in the fall.

"It is a public health concern; it deserves funds from legislative avenues," said Jeff Goad, an associate professor of clinical pharmacy at USC and a member of a hepatitis B taskforce. "There is not a lot of action to fund treatment and management. The government ... allows the private system to handle treatment, but that doesn't always happen."

One of the organizations that stands to benefit from the bill is St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles. The hospital is opening a center in July that will deal specifically with hepatitis in Asians and could receive some of the $4 million the bill proposes.

"I don't think there is a recognition even among physicians of the magnitude of the problem among Asians," said Tse-Ling Fong, a liver specialist who will direct the Asian Pacific Liver Center.

Fong said the center will target Asians 18 and older, particularly those born overseas. In keeping with the hospital's charitable care policy, the center will accept both insured and uninsured patients.

"My hope is that three or four generations from now, hepatitis B will be something like smallpox that we no longer talk about," Fong said.

I’m delighted to extend my appreciation to all those involved with the San Francisco Hep B Free campaign.

I am grateful for your efforts to combat Hepatitis B among San Francisco’s Asian and Pacific Islander Americans through screenings, vaccinations and treatment. Because this terrible virus infects people of this heritage at much higher rates than others, you are showing compassion for an important group in your city while also enhancing the health of the entire community.

I commend the San Francisco Department of Public Health, the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University and the AsianWeek Foundation for launching this noble campaign. And I encourage all San Franciscans to check out www.sfhepbfree.org to find out more about San Francisco Hep B Free.